


The Dragon Queen

by NSPFanGirl



Category: Game Grumps, Ninja Sex Party - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Romance, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-04
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-04 19:15:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18349991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NSPFanGirl/pseuds/NSPFanGirl
Summary: Anna was known to the world as the Dragon Queen but her appearance was so brief, people thought it was a hoax. She makes a public appearance again with the help of the grumps and a chance opportunity could change one of their lives forever.





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> Most of my stories have been bouncing around my head since last summer. I mean no disrespect to his personal life now that he's gone public with his relationship, nor will I ever reference real events with her that he shares with us. This is just fiction written by a fan.

It’s been nearly two years since Anna found her dragon egg and a year since she had made a public appearance as the Dragon Queen. She didn’t name herself that, the world did and she just went with it. The only people that knew her real name were the monks at the temple she found the egg at, the head of her personal security and the emperor of Japan. She’s been out in public of course but no one knew it was her. With contacts to hide her eyes and the gift to change her hair color at a whim, she could look like she used to. The last couple of years have been fun been but she was beginning to get homesick. Lately she was able to prove she was able to remain inconspicuous and her dragon, Koisa, consented to keep to the form of a necklace as long as necessary. She was able to convince everyone to let her go free in the world, provided she take some of her guards. She consented and booked the earliest flight she could back to the states.

Her first stop was LA and she spent a month in a hotel suite catching up on the internet on what she had missed in the world since she went to Japan the first time. The first thing she did was catch up on her YouTube subscriptions. Anna was happy to see that Game Grumps was still going strong, and Ninja Sex Party was doing quite well for itself. She watched the handful of music videos she missed and was impressed they were getting more elaborate. She immediately bought the cds she was missing. After some consideration and the okay from Koisa, she decided to reach out to NSP and hoped they saw her email amongst all the spam they probably received. She made the offer to help with a new music video and included a picture of herself in full armor atop Koisa’s back. It took a week for her to hear anything back, and when she did, it was Brian asking her for more proof that she was who she said she was. She took a quick video addressing Brian and Dan while Koisa was small and draped across her shoulders like a cat and sent it to their Instagram, emailing him back too look for it on there. There was a new reply within half an hour and they set a date and the promise of a location soon for the first meet. She told them this meeting should be private with no recording equipment and phones would be left with a guard before meeting. They agreed. She allowed only Dan, Brian, Arin, and Suzy for this first meet.

By the following weekend, she had enough time to rent out a local rv park for privacy and let them know the location. That Saturday morning, she got there early to set up the wards that would keep the inside of the clearing invisible to anyone on the outside. Just outside the tree line, a couple of her guards waited for them to arrive while herself and Koisa were in the clearing waiting. Anna was in full black armor that covered her head to toe and Koisa was at her full size, for now, from head to tail, the length of three school buses. She too was black but with dark purple highlights in the wings and along the spine. She would continue to grow as time went by. When noon came, a guard alerted her that they had arrived but there was an issue. Brian had brought his daughter Audrey with him. Anna gave the okay and the guard directed them through the tree line. 

Once inside her wards and could see her, everyone just stopped and stared. Audrey began crying and Brian picked her up to comfort her. Anna stepped forward to address them. “Thank you for coming. This means a lot to me.” Dan was the first to greet her. “Thank you for inviting us, but why us? We’re just YouTubers. There's loads of people more important than us.” “Not to me there isn’t. I’ve been fans of you guys for years. I wanted to do something to give back and she’s willing to be in one of your videos for either NSP or Starbomb.” She gestured behind her to Koisa and the dragon bowed her head at them. She stepped closer to them and pressed a spot on the chest of her armor. The helmet folded back on itself and her head was free for them to see. Her eyes were bright green with slitted irises like a reptiles and her dark purple hair fell in waves to her shoulder blades. With another press, the rest of the armor collapsed in on itself to a bracelet on her right wrist. Underneath the armor, she wore a Mario t-shirt and jeans.

Arin couldn’t contain himself. “Holy shit, it’s like the Iron Man armor.” Anna just laughed and approached Audrey, who was still crying. “It’s okay, she’s not going to hurt you. She’s like a giant puppy dog. Would you like to meet her?” She held her hand out to the girl and Brian put her down on the grass. Anna took her hand and they all approached the dragon together. Koisa laid there patiently, she didn’t want to scare them. Audrey walked up to her head and put her hand out. The scene reminded Anna of How To Train Your Dragon and she pulled her phone out to take a picture just as Koisa leaned down to touch the girl’s hand with her nose. She showed the picture to Brian and he gave her his number to send it to him. After that, all the fear was gone from everyone. 

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly as they chatted about ideas for a video. As the sun began to set, Anna screwed up her courage and pulled Dan to the side to talk to him alone. “Before you guys go, do you want to fly with us for a bit?” Dan’s mouth went dry and he tried to swallow. “Like, up in the air?” “Yeah. I’ll be with you and she won’t let you fall. We’re secluded enough, I’m not worried about anyone seeing us.” Arin was close enough to hear and came over. “Dude, she’s offering you the chance to fly on a real dragon. Don’t pussy out.” He pushed Dan closer to her and she took his hand and led him to the dragon’s side. Within a couple of seconds, she vaulted like a gymnast onto her back at the base of her neck. Koisa lifted her forearm and helped Dan up, Anna pulling him up to sit in front of her. She guided his feet to some knobby scales that stuck out to hook his feet under and his hands to some small spikes on her neck. “Hold on tight. Are you ready?” “No…” She laughed and Koisa sprang into the air, causing Dan to shout and Anna wrapped his arms around his waist for support. They could hear Arin, Suzy, and Brian shouting their support as they rose above the treetops. Once high enough that cars were the size of ants, the dragon leveled off and did slow circles around the park and surrounding mountainsides.

Anna let go of his waist and Dan loosened his grip just a little bit. She stood up and stepped around him to sit in front of him while facing him. “How do you balance like that?” “We’re connected. I know what she’s going to do. I could walk from her head down her tail while she’s flying if I wanted to.” “Why me?” Anna shrugged her shoulders and thought of a quick excuse. She didn’t want to tell him she liked him. “If you’re going to do a music video with her, you could use the practice.” “No Dannequin?” “No, you’re perfectly safe. She won’t let you fall, and if you do, she’ll catch you.” Koisa turned her head and winked at them. “Can she understand us?” “Of course. She’s just as sentient as you or I. I can hear her in my head but she considers it rude to talk to others like that, so I relay what she has to say. Like now, she wants to know if you want to fly solo for a bit.” “She can talk to me if she wants to. I won’t mind. If we’re going to be working together, it’d probably be easier.” Koisa heard him. After a moment, he didn’t know how to describe it, but he felt a presence in his brain. Like that feeling you get when you think you’re being watched. A whisper in the back of his mind came forward. ‘Hello Dan.’ He leaned forward with a gasp and gripped the spikes tighter. “I heard her.” “Say hi back. Think it at her and she’ll hear it.” ‘Hi.’ ‘Do you want to fly with me for a few minutes?’ ‘Sure.’

Anna smiled and stood back up. “I’ll see you guys shortly.” She touched her bracelet and in moments, she was encased in her armor. She dove backwards from Koisa’s neck Dan watched her fall. After a few moments, wings unfurled from the back plates and she glided safely to the clearing to meet up with the others. It was ten minutes later and the sun was nearly set before Koisa landed. Dan practically slid down her back and sat on the grass leaning against her side. Anna, armor gone again, came over to check on him, the others just watching. “Was that fun?” “That was fucking exhilarating.” She held out her hand to help him up but he shook his head. “For the sake of Audrey’s innocence, I need a few minutes.” It took Anna a moment to figure out what he meant then she tried to hide her smirk. “I understand. Take your time.” She went back to the group and reassured them he was fine, just needed a moment to get his legs back under him. 

Arin went over to him and sat next to him. “Can you believe this? A real fucking dragon.” “She can understand you.” Arin turned and found Koisa looking over at him. His face turned red. “Sorry.” She turned back and laid her head on her forearms, watching the group and Anna. Arin patted Dan’s shoulder and got back up. Dan leaned away from him. “Dude, don't touch me right now.” “What? The only time you say that is when...oh. That's why you don't want to stand yet.” Arin started laughing at him. “You go and fulfill a fantasy like this and try not to get a boner.” He was okay after another minute and stood and brushed himself off, then joined the rest of them. Anna saw him approach. “You okay now?” “Yeah, thanks.” “Do you guys want to come back to my hotel for dinner? I have a switch, we can play something.” Dan and Arin agreed to go with her. Suzy excused herself, saying she had work to catch up on, and Brian had to get Audrey home to bed. Brian drove Suzy home so Arin could have the car. Arin drove Dan and they followed Anna and her guards back to the hotel she was staying at. Koisa changed back into her necklace so they could travel normally. Within half an hour, they were all eating Thai and playing Mario Party on the Switch. Anna let Arin make a fourth npc as Waluigi on hard and Dan was grumbling. By the end of the game, Arin was in first, Anna second, Waluigi third, and Dan in last.

Since it was beginning to get late, Arin stood up and stretched. “We should probably get going. It's getting late and we have a lot to do tomorrow.” Dan stood up with him and she walked them to the suite’s door to show them out. “Thank you for this tonight. I haven't felt this human in a long time.” Arin was the first to see her fighting back tears and he wrapped her in a tight hug. Caught off guard, she tensed for a moment then lightly hugged him back. He let her go and she smiled up at him. Dan swooped in for his own hug. She hugged him back tighter and for longer than she did Arin, burying her face in his neck. When she pulled away, Dan held onto her shoulders and wiped a tear from her cheek. “Thank you for today. When we saw you guys on the news a couple years ago, no one could figure out if it was a hoax or not, then you disappeared for the last year.” “Yeah, we needed time to grow in privacy. We’re about ready to come out again and no one knows what's going to happen.” He kept his hand on her cheek and she leaned into it with her eyes closed. Dan took a risk and leaned in to lightly kiss her on the lips. She opened her eyes in surprise but closed them again, bringing a hand up to his neck. Arin had his back turned while he texted Suzy to let her know he was on his way home. When he turned back around, he wasn’t expecting to see what he did. “Woah.” The sound of his exclamation brought them out of their reverie. “Do you want me to stay longer? You sound like you want to talk more. Be human for a bit longer.” “I think I’d like that.” Dan turned to Arin. “I’ll get an Uber home. I’ll see you in the morning.” “Okay. Night, man.” “Night.” After Arin left, Anna accused herself for a moment to change for the night. Dan sat on the sofa to wait for her. After a few minutes, she came out of the bedroom in silk black pj pants and a tank top. The dragon necklace was gone and her hair was twisted up under a large clip. She joined him on the couch and rested her head back.


	2. 2

Anna relaxed on the couch with Dan sitting close next to her. “So what did you want to know?” “Anything you’re willing to tell me. Your name maybe. I won’t repeat anything you tell me.” She tried to rub a kink out of her neck and turned to him. “I trust you.” “Is your neck bothering you? I can rub it. Sit in front of me.” He moved his knees apart so she could sit on the floor in front of him between his legs. As he began to rub her shoulders and neck, she closed her eyes and let her head fall forward. “My name’s Anna. The news started calling me the Dragon Queen and we just went with it. Most of my family is gone but I wanted to protect what was left.” “How did all of this happen?” 

“A few years ago, I started to have this same dream over and over. It was driving me crazy. Some kind of shrine up in the mountains. It took me a few months to figure out where it was and nearly a year to save up for a plane ticket to Tokyo. I shoved what I could into a backpack, sublet my apartment to a friend and took off. It took me a week to make my way to the temple. When I got there, it was storming. I was freezing and soaked through but the egg was right there on a pedestal. It looked like it was carved from marble. I was afraid to touch it so I just sat on a bench watching it for I don’t know how long. After it was dark, one of the older monks found me there. I knew a few words and all I could say was ‘yume’, ‘dream’. My eyes never left the egg and he went and found a younger monk that knew English. He brought me inside and they took care of me. I got a bad cold and fever for a while from being outside too long. When I was better I told them why I was there. The older monk led me back to the egg and placed my hand on it. I don’t know what happened after that, but when I woke up, we were inside and she was laying on my chest and I felt different. The eyes were an immediate change and I suddenly understood what they were saying. They were excited and worried at the same time. It’s been 800 years since she hatched last but I was an American. A messenger was sent to the emperor. The story was passed down through the generations but it was a myth now. No one believed it. It took three different messengers and the third with parts of the shell to convince him to come. An adviser wanted to take her, give her to one of their own. She almost took his hand off when he tried to grab her. After that, they all agreed to keep me a secret and we set ourselves to learn what we could. Somehow word got out and we had to make a brief appearance. After that, it was back into seclusion until she grew more. After a year and a half, she was too big to hide but she had mastered her old powers. She’s like a phoenix. When it’s time for her to move on, she can transfer her consciousness into a new egg as she dies. She’s a creature of magic so she could change herself into anything. A necklace, or even a human.” Dan was so absorbed in the story, he didn’t notice a woman leaning on the bedroom door frame. Her skin was nearly white and she had long black hair and purple eyes. He jumped when she began to talk, walking over to them. “It took us months to convince them we’d be fine out in the world again. This is the first place we traveled to after we left. Then she got the crazy idea for today in her head.” She sat next to him on the couch and held her hand out. “I’m Koisa.” He reaches over and gently shook it. “Dan.” “I know. She’s been catching me up on your videos. You have a nice voice.” A blush crept up his neck as he felt a weight against his knee. 

He looked down to find Anna leaning off to the side against his leg, head leaning forward and breathing slowly. “The poor girl. We haven’t had this much excitement in a while.” Koisa got up and crouched down in front of Anna, lifting her like she weight nothing. She carried her to the bedroom and Dan followed behind them, pulling a blanket off to the side then covering her after Koisa put her down. She rolled onto her side and reached out for Dan’s hand that was still nearby. “Stay?” He took a few moments to think about them squeezed her hand. He took off his shoes and jeans and crawled into bed next to her, spooning her back. She guided his arm around across her waist and covered his hand with hers. She was out again in seconds. “Take care of her. I think she needs you more than she’ll admit. I know she’s been terribly lonely these last couple of years.” “I will. Whatever she needs of me. Could you set the alarm for 8:30? I need to be at the office by 10 and that’ll give me time to get home and change.” “Sure. Night, Dan.” Koisa set the alarm on the dresser, turned the lights off and walked out to go to her own bedroom. Dan pressed his face against the back of her head and was quickly out.

The next morning, when the alarm went off, it took Dan a moment to realize where he was. When he felt his arms around something, he remembered. He looked down to find Anna facing him, her head tucked under his chin and her arm around his waist. When she stirred, she looked up at him and smiled. “Morning.” “Morning.” He brushed some hair out of her face with his thumb. She pulled him close and kissed him hard. He responded in kind and held her tight to his chest, pushing one leg in between hers. She began to tug his shirt up and he paused long enough to help. Soon, all their clothes were tossed to the side and they lost themselves in their passion. It wasn't long before they were both spent and panting. When Dan looked at the clock again, it was 9:00. They got up and showered together to save some time. When they emerged back into the living room portion of the suite, Dan was in his clothes from last night and Anna was in a fresh set. Koisa was reclining on the sofa reading. She saw them emerge and smirked at them. “Sounds like you two at fun.” Both of their faces turned red. Dan turned to Anna. “I have to get going. Arin’s expecting me by 10 today.” “I’ll have one of my guards take you home. I'm sure we’ll be spending more time together with your music video. You guys have my number. And i’ll be here for a few more weeks yet if you want to hang out. We do have to move on but we can come back when we’re needed.” He kissed her goodbye and she instructed one of her guards to take him home. Once he was gone, Koisa stood next to Anna and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “You know this can't last right? You didn't tell him what else changed about you.” “I know. I’ll tell him eventually but for now, I could use the fun.” “Just guard your heart, little one.”

Dan barely made it to the office in time. He found Arin in the recording room waiting for him. “You have fun last night?” “We just talked for a while. She told me what happened to her the last couple of years. It really is magic.” “I’m assuming you can't share that, can you?” “I promised her. Sorry.” “I get it. Are you going to see her again?” “We’re going to do a music video remember?” “Right. I forgot in all the excitement.” “I’m going to work with Brian this weekend on what to do. I'm thinking to ‘In Your Wildest Dreams’. I can see it in my head and having her dragon in it will help a lot. Not to mention it'll be pretty cheap since we won't need special effects. Just need to figure out the camera up there.”

Over the next couple weeks, plans were made and the script for the music video was set. Anna agreed to be the girl for Danny Sexbang. It made sense. She put in contacts that made her eyes a normal green hazel and changed her hair so it was so light brown, it was almost blonde. Their relationship wasn't much of a secret but everyone kept it professional while outside of her hotel. The shoot was finished in two days. They used the same rv park as when they first met. It would need little editing and was ready to upload before it was time for her to move on. When the day came to upload it, the fans knew a knew video was coming, but they didn't know what. The response was immediately overwhelmingly positive. Anna, Dan, and Brian were at the grump space with everyone else, with Koisa as a necklace. Brian opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate.

That night Dan and Anna celebrated by themselves in her hotel room. It was there last night together. Koisa kept herself occupied in the living room while they were in her bedroom. They took their time with each other, memorizing everything about the other. It was past midnight before they finally fell asleep, exhausted, wrapped in each other’s arms. When Koisa noticed it got quiet, she quietly poked her head in to check on them. She sighed and shut the door. Come morning, Dan went with them to the airport to say goodbye. “Where are you going to now?” “Arizona for a while. I’ve never seen a desert. The hot air should be excellent for flying.” “Any plans on New Mexico? The different landscapes there are incredible around Santa Fe. And Meow Wolf is there, where we filmed ‘Africa’. We’re planning another shoot there soon if you want to come with. They’re closed on Tuesdays so we’d have the place to ourselves for a bit.” “That sounds cool. Let me know when and I’ll see what I can do. You know this was a fun few weeks but I don’t expect you to wait for me.” “What do you mean?” “If you meet a girl you like…” “Oh. I’m not worried about it. I’m not ready for anything serious yet.” “Well, my point still stands. I’m all for having fun if I’m in town but it could be months.” “I understand. I do.” He leaned down and kissed her hard and hugged her. “Go before you miss your flight. I’ll talk to you later. Goodbye your majesty.” He bowed at her and she rolled her eyes at him. “Bye, Dan.” She turned and went inside with her pair of guards behind her. She was glad of the sunglasses so he couldn’t see the tears that were threatening to fall. He was glad she was inside so she couldn’t see his. He hailed a cab and went home.


	3. 3

Dan and Anna texted every few days but his heart ached every time she sent a new picture of places she was visiting. Before he knew it, three months had gone by. The date was set to film at Meow Wolf and he texted her to let her know. She replied that she was currently in Texas but was able to arrange a few days to meet him. He booked them two rooms on route 14, just south of the place. One for them and one for the two guards coming with her. They met up two days before the rest of the crew so they could sight see together. The first night they met up, they flew together around the mountains under the cover of darkness. They landed in a clearing high up in one of the pine tree covered ones. Koisa kept watch while they reacquainted themselves with each other on a quilt laid out. She let them sleep for a couple of hours afterwards before waking them. They had to get back to their room before dawn came, and with no cell reception, the guards were probably anxious. Back at the room, they immediately fell back asleep in one of the two beds. Koisa, in human form, let the guards know all was well and went to sleep herself in the other bed. 

The next day, they went shopping up and down route 14. They found a glass blowing place and watched a woman make her art. Next door, they sold gems and rocks, minor and precious. He bought her a piece of purple fluorite carved in the shape of a dragon’s head. They broke for lunch at Cafe Castro then spent the afternoon hiking around Hyde Memorial State Park. When they were sure no one was near, Koisa took her natural form, but a little bit smaller. They rode on her back while she walked through the trails. Later that night, the rest of the crew landed and joined them at the same hotel. TWRP was stoked to meet her and Koisa. Brian, Tucker, Sean and Brent had already met them so they gave them space for the night. They gamed for a bit in TWRP’s room then went to bed so they could get up early to get the most out of the Tuesday. They only had the one day to film. While equipment was getting set up, Dan gave Anna and Koisa a tour of the art installations. The jungle room was by far her favorite, followed by the musical neon lit mammoth ribs, then a hall that had painted mounds of candy and cake in alcoves behind glass. When they began to film in different areas, they stayed out of the way and were able to talk in private. 

They were sitting in one of the bedrooms in the house with a secret entrance in the closet back out into the stage room. “How long are you going to lead him on?” “I’m not leading him on. I really do love him.” “You can’t stay with him, you know that. Do you really want to watch him age and die while you still look like this?” “No…” Her eyes stung as she fought back tears. Unbeknown to them, Brian was in the closet and he heard everything. He came and walked up to them, startling both of them as he opened the closet door. “You’re immortal?” “Not exactly. My life’s tied to Koisa’s though I can be killed. Please don’t tell Dan. I will when I’m ready to. Has he been with anyone else these last few months? I encouraged him to.” “No. You’re all he talks about. I don’t know how long I can keep this from him.” “I know. I will tell him. Just not yet.” She sighed and Koisa rubbed her back. Brian helped them both to their feet. “Come on. Dan’s looking for you. We’re done filming for the day and they’re packing up.”

That night, back in their room, it was their last night together before they had to leave again. Koisa gave them privacy and hung out in the guard’s room next door. They spent the night in bed tangled together under the sheets. Later, Dan was on his back and Anna was resting her head on his chest. “Dan, are you happy?” “Of course. Why wouldn't I be?” “I don't know if i'd consider this a long distance relationship. Don't you have anyone at home?” “No. I haven't been looking. I know this can't last but i enjoy being with you. For as long as you'll have me.” She sighed and she snuggled closer into his chest. “You don't know what you’re asking. I'm going to be around a lot longer than you will. It's not fair to keep you like that, only seeing each other every few months.” “I kinda guessed that. When you told me about her lifetime, I figured that would go for you as well.” She sat up to look at him. “That doesn't bother you?” “Not right now, no. We can have fun for a while but I know this has to end. But not right now.” She smiled widely at him and threw her arms around his neck. “We’re starting a new tour in a couple months. Do you want to come to the New York show? Some of my friends and my family always come to that one.” “Is that another way of asking if I want to meet your parents?” He laughed and kissed her neck. “I’ll let you know the New York date later. I need to talk to Arin about something for that show.” They both fell asleep after that.

Koisa woke them up the next morning. It was time for them to part again. This time wasn't as tearful as the last time, Dan and company back to LA and Anna and Koisa back to Texas. Dan and Anna stayed in close contact over the next couple months. She knew Dan was planning something but wasn't sure what. It wasn't until the morning before the show she found out. At that point, she was in Maine but was due to fly down in the morning. During a skype call, Dan finally filled her on his plans. Arin was coming to this show too and they’d be doing a few Starbomb songs as a surprise. He asked her if she could sing and when she said yes, asked if she’d be willing to come on stage for ‘Luigi’s Ballad’ and ‘Regretroid’. She agreed. It would be the first time she’d make a public appearance in more than a year and a half. “I’d be happy to come out tomorrow night. If i'm making a public appearance as the dragon queen, i should call in some more guards.” “There’ll be security but you’re probably right. Can they get here in time?” “Yeah. I’ll call them right now. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.” She hung up and called her home office. Within minutes, she was assured that four more guards were already on their way. They’d be in New York in time for the show.

By the next afternoon, Anna and Koisa were dropped off with her two guards at the venue. Anna was in a tight black deep v-neck trench coat that flared out at the waist, down to her ankles. Her purple hair was loose down her back and sunglasses hid her eyes. There would be no hiding tonight. Koisa took the form of a gorget around her throat. The venue security was alerted to her arrival and they let her in a side door. They got looks from people already lined up. Once inside, she removed her sunglasses and was led backstage. She found Dan, Brian, and Arin talking to Dan’s parents. Dan saw her approach and introduced her. Anna greeted his father in Hebrew then in English to his mom. “You know hebrew?” “I know most languages.” “Every time we met up, I learn something new about you…” She only smiled up at him. Dan turned to his parents. “They're going to start letting people in soon. You guys should get up to your balcony. It’ll be right over stage left. Where did you want your guards positioned?” He was careful not to use her name with the others around. “Two will be with me outside our balcony, two down on the floor in front of the stage with the other security and two onstage, out of sight on the sides. I don't expect any issues since the general population doesn't know this is happening but still. Better safe than sorry. I'm still proving that we’re fine away from home.” Dan nodded and showed them up to their private balcony. Within an hour, the place was packed. While they were sitting up in the balcony, no one could see them.

Halfway through the show, TWRP excused themselves while Dan and Brian did ‘Dinosaur Laser Fight’. After that, he announced they had a surprise for everyone. “We have a special guest tonight!” Arin came out on stage in his pink Starbomb outfit. While the crowd erupted in screams, Arin tossed Dan’s Starbomb belt to him. They performed ‘Ryu vs Ken’ and ‘The Hero of Rhyme’. “We have another surprise for you guys. Who here remembers on the news a couple years ago of a real dragon and a woman, known as the Dragon Queen appearing in Tokyo?” The crowd cheered. “She’s here tonight and she's going to help us with a couple of songs we haven't done live before!” Anna took that as her cue and leapt up onto the ledge of the balcony as a spotlight landed on her. The crowds cheer was deafening. When Dan and Arin realized what she was about to do, they backed up to give her room. She leapt gracefully down onto the stage, landing on one knee. Arin was the first to say something. “Holy shit, superhero landing!” The crowds cheering got somehow loader. They did ‘Regretroid’ first, then ‘Luigi’s Ballad’. When they were done, Arin gave her a high five, and Dan gave her a quick hug. When she approached Ninja Brian, she hesitated in front of him, not sure what he was going to do. After a moment, he held his hand up. She clasped it and they bowed to each other, then flipped each other off. She laughed, thanked the audience then took a running leap and landed back on the balconies ledge, then sat back down next to Dan’s parents.

Once the show was over and the crowd was cleared out, the entire band, crew, Dan’s parents, and Anna headed out together for a late night dinner at one of the local bars. Anna put her contacts in and changed her hair to light brown. Dan’s father continued to pepper Anna with questions in Hebrew. She didn't mind. It helped to make her feel normal. After dinner, they split up to their hotel rooms Dan, Anna, and Koisa sharing one again. Anna thanked her extra guards and gave them leave to go home. She’d be returning to Tokyo soon as well so there was no need to have the extra guards around. Dan and Anna spent their night together like normal and made plans to visit her in Tokyo again in another few months. She invited Arin and Suzy as well to all stay at her estate. There would be more than enough room for everyone and still have room for privacy. The emperor gifted her and Koisa the estate at the base of the mountain near the temple. It was a two floor small mansion with five acres behind it, heavily wooded for privacy with a koi pond. In the morning, Dan promised to run her offer by them later and get back to her with time for her to prepare. They spent the rest of the night in bed together.

The next morning, when they said their goodbyes Dan promised her he’d see her again at her home near Tokyo. Dan left with everyone else to finish their tour while Anna and Koisa prepared to go home to japan. After a couple more weeks, the tour was over and everyone went home to LA. Dan let Arin and Suzy know about Anna’s offer and they accepted. Plans were made to come out in two months and they got busy back logging more episodes so they could take a two week long vacation. Dan let Anna know and everything was approved.


	4. 4

When the time came to visit, Anna made up her mind that this would be their last meeting and to make the most memorable one. She vowed to talk to Dan on their first night. When she noticed the plane was due to land soon, she sent a car to pick them up. When they arrived back to the estate, she greeted them herself and showed them to their rooms. She gave Dan his own room though she suspected he wouldn’t be in it much. Dinner was prepared and everyone ate in her dining room. She encouraged everyone to retire early so they could recover from their long trip. 

She pulled Dan into her bedroom and as soon as the door was closed, he immediately pressed her against the wall and buried his face in her neck. Before she could lose herself, she stopped him and pushed him away. “Dan, we need to talk.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the foot of her bed to sit. “This is the last time we’re meeting isn’t it?” Anna kept her head bowed. He gently lifted her chin to face him and she immediately began to cry. “I love you so much Dan but this can’t go on anymore. After your trip is over, I don’t think we should meet up again. You need someone you can settle down with, grow old with. That’s not me.” He kissed a tear from her cheek. “I’ve been thinking about that too. This past year has been great but I understand.” He pressed his forehead to hers and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “I really love you, Anna. We’ll make the most of this vacation then I’m going to miss the shit out of you. I wish there was a way this could've worked. I would do anything.” 

Just then, Koisa came in and she was holding an old leather scroll. “Do you mean it? You would do anything to stay with her? With us?” Anna sat up. “Koisa, What are you talking about?” She handed her the scroll. She unrolled it and began reading the ancient kanji. Her eyes went wide and her breath caught in her throat. She looked up at Koisa. “Is this possible?” “I’ve done it twice over the millennia.” “Why didn’t you tell me about this before? I’ve been torturing myself for weeks about this.” “I’m sorry. I wanted to get to know him and to be sure you two truly loved each other. This is the only secret I’ve kept from most of my previous masters.” “I thought I told you not to call me that…” Dan wiped the tears from his cheeks. “What are you guys talking about.” Anna held up the scroll for him. “This is a ritual she can perform. It would bind you to us. You’d share our lifespan. Illness and disease couldn’t touch you.” Dan sat back speechless. “Would I have to leave everyone to stay with you?” “No, no! I would never ask that of you. But when Arin and Brian decide it's time to move on, you wouldn’t be a day older than now, then we can be together. This ritual would bind us so deeply, even if we’re apart, we could feel each other. It wouldn’t be so lonely.” He sat back to try and collect his thoughts. “I need to think about this. I need to talk to Arin and Brian about this.” “Of course. I don’t need an immediate answer. My door will be open tonight if you want to come back. I’d understand if you don’t.” He leaned forward to kiss her reassuringly. “My dear. I’ll be back later. I need to talk to them now.” 

He excused himself and left, seeking out Arin’s room. He knocked on the door. “Arin, you guys awake?” Suzy opened the door and let him in. Arin was half asleep in bed but sat up when he saw Dan come in with red eyes. “What happened. Are you okay?” Dan sat on the bed next to him, Suzy joining on Arin’s other side. “Yeah, I’m okay. We just had the talk. I knew this was coming but the dragon, you’ve seen her in human form, she came in in the middle of it. I need to Skype Brian. Is your laptop unpacked?” “Yeah, it’s on the table.” Dan went over to set up a Skype call to Brian. Rachel answered it. “Hey, Rach, is Brian around? I need to talk to him.” “Yeah, he’s just getting up for the day, gimme a minute.” After a couple of minutes, Brian came over in a robe. “What’s up, Dan?” Dan positioned the laptop so Brian could see all three of them. “What I’m about to tell you, can’t leave this room. Do you guys understand?” Everyone agreed. He took a deep breath and continued. “I need your guys’ advice on something. If you had the chance at virtual immortality, would you take it?” Everyone leaned forward. Suzy was the first to speak up. “What happened tonight, Dan?” “We were on the verge of ending this after this vacation. Neither of us wanted to but it’s the right thing to do. She wants me to find someone to settle with, grow old with. She doesn’t age. She can be killed, but not easily. We were both in tears talking about this. Her dragon came in and offered me the chance to join them. A ritual to bind me to them. I’d share their lifespan. I could stay with her.” Brian spoke up. “Is she asking you to leave us?” “No, that’s just it. Even if I take her up on it now, she doesn’t want me to stop being with you guys. But when it’s time to move on, she’ll be there waiting for me. I really do love her, and I could see it was destroying her to tell me she wanted to end this. I’m sorely tempted.” “If nothing’s going to change except you stop aging, I’d say go for it.” “Brian…” “Yeah, dude. They’re offering you a chance at immortality. Take it.” “Arin… you guys are okay with this?” They all nodded. “I love you guys. I need to go back and talk to her. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” He got up, ended the Skype call and left their room to go back to Anna’s.

He lightly knocked on her door and slowly opened it when there was no answer. She was asleep tucked into her bed, a Kleenex gripped in one hand but Koisa was awake, spooned against her back. He carefully sat at the foot of the bed, faced Koisa and whispered, “Is she okay?” “Yeah. She’s a little mad at me for keeping that from her but she understands. Did you talk to your friends?” “Yeah. I have their support. I want to go through with it. What does it involve?” “It’s a blood ritual. I’ll cut all our hands over a cup, add some stuff, say some words, we drink and it’s done. I’ll heal you right away. You sure you want to go through with this?” “Positive. This past year, even though we’ve only been together a handful of times, I haven’t even looked at another girl, which is odd for me when I’m single, if you can call this that. She encouraged me to, even, and I still couldn’t. She already owns my soul.” He was watching Anna sleep as he said this. Koisa gently untangled herself from her so he could take her place. “When do you want to do it?” We’re here for two weeks. How about in a week? I’d like Brian to be here for it. He’s a scientist, I’m sure he’d love a chance to see something real like this.” “That should be easy. She’s been practicing a gate spell. It can turn a doorway into a doorway to anywhere. Let her know tomorrow and I’m sure she’ll throw herself into it to have it perfected by then. I’m gonna go out to the gardens and stretch my wings. It’s nice out and I haven’t slept outside in a while.” She kissed him on the cheek and left. Dan snuggled as close as possible to Anna without waking her, burying his face in her hair and fell asleep.

That first week, Anna, acting as translator, took them all over, to Sensou-ji, Ueno, Akihabara, Shinjuku, and the aquarium in Kasai Rinkai Park. The final day of the week, they went one train stop past the aquarium to Disneyland, across the bay. Everyone had a great time. The final night before the ritual came. Dan was on the phone with Brian and Anna was kneeling on the floor in front of another bedroom’s closet door. Brian sent her a picture of his office door so she knew what to create the gate to. After a bit, she turned and nodded to Dan. He told Brian to go ahead and open his office door. When he did, he was face to face with Dan, still holding his phone up and Anna kneeling on the floor. Brian helped her to her feet and turned to the doorway. Rachel was standing there on the other side. “I’ll be home tomorrow night, morning rather. Kiss Audrey goodnight tonight for me.” He closed the door, waited a moment, and opened it again. It was just a closet. He turned back to Anna to thank her but she was nearly asleep, leaning against Dan. He helped him get her to her bedroom then went back to his room for the night. 

Dan and Koisa helped her undress and into bed. When he began to undress to join her, Koisa took her leave. He crawled over next to her and rested his head on her shoulder, forehead pressed against her check and draped a leg over hers. She rolled and pressed herself against him. “Ready for tomorrow?” “I can’t say I’m not nervous, especially since it involves blood.” “She’ll be quick. Her claws are very sharp, you’ll barely feel it.” She sighed and pushed him so he was on his back and crawled over him on her hands and knees. She covered him in light kisses, working her way down his body. Outside her door, Koisa was listening. She smiled to herself and had no doubt they were all doing the right thing tomorrow, then went to her own chambers.


	5. 5

The following morning, Koisa, Anna, dan, Arin, Suzy, and Brian made the hour long hike up to the temple. The monks greeted everyone kindly and bowed deep to Koisa and Anna. They had prepared the garden in the back for them and they led the group to it. There were three pillows arrayed around a small table to kneel on with a small silver bowl sitting on it, along with three other pillows off to the side. Koisa, Anna, and Dan kneeled around the table while the others took their spots. Koisa turned to the others. “Being here is a privilege and I trust you three to never repeat what happens here or what you hear. I need silence for this.” They all nodded in agreement. She turned to Anna and Dan. “Are you ready?” They nodded. She held an open palm above the cup and with her other hand, changed one finger into a claw. She whispered words in a tongue even Anna didn’t know then quickly sliced her hand open, letting the blood flow freely into the cup. She let it go for a few seconds and squeezed her cut hand shut, opening it again, clean and dry as if nothing had happened. “Anna.” She held her hand out to take Anna’s and did the same to her hand and covered her closed fist with her own to heal her. She flinched but didn’t make a sound. “Dan.” When she held her hand out to take Dan’s, he was breathing deeply but didn’t hesitate. Squeezing his eyes shut to brace himself, Anna was proven right. He barely felt it and before he knew it, his hand was back to normal. Koisa lifted the cup up, whispered some more and blew a breath of frost across the top of it. A fragrant scent filled the area and they saw, while the liquid inside was still thick, it was now a translucent purple. She drank first then handed it to Anna. Anna closed her eyes and drank and handed it to Dan. Koisa turned to him. “This is your final chance to change your mind. If you go through with this, it will truly be ‘till death do you part.” He stared down into the cup, just one mouthful left. He closed his eyes, steeled himself, and drank. It was sweet on his tongue yet burned it's way down his throat. Several moments passed then Dan and Anna opened their eyes and stared at each other.

It was like they were seeing each other for the first time. Nothing else in the room mattered at that moment. He lunged forward, crushed his lips to hers and pushed her back to lay back on the grass. As hands began tugging at clothes, Koisa ushered everyone else out to give them privacy. No one said anything until Koisa showed them to a room with tables in the shape of a U with pillows around. The tables were loaded with food and carafes of sake. Kneeling and bowing in one corner waiting for them were two women in kimono. When they rose to meet them, they were shown to be a Geiko and a Maiko. A Geisha and an apprentice. The differences were spotted in the makeup and hair ornaments. When everyone was seated but Koisa, the Geiko kneeled again and picked up a shamisen while the Maiko began a traditional dance with two fans. 

Koisa excused herself and went into another room to to change into an evening kimono of her own and to retrieve robes for Anna and Dan. When she went outside to lay the robes out for them, Dan was sitting up with Anna in his lap, her legs wrapped around his waist and face buried in his neck. He saw her approach and wasn’t embarrassed in the least. In fact, he held a hand out to her, beckoning her to join them. She hesitated then disrobed, kneeling next to them. He pulled her in for a kiss and Anna moved off him to let her in. He gently lowered Koisa onto her back. She’s been with mortals over the millennia before but was surprised by how gentle he was. In the far past, she was used to men just taking what they wanted. She closed her eyes and let both of their passions roll over her.

It was a half an hour later when the three of them, in their fresh robes, joined the party. Fresh hot sake was poured and the rest of that day was spent celebrating. They stayed there that night in rooms prepared with futons on the floor and new robes laid out for the morning. Arin and Suzy shared a room with Brian, while Koisa, Anna and Dan shared another together. A younger monk took their clothes to wash so they’d be clean by after breakfast in the morning. Everyone was exhausted and went right to sleep. Arin and Suzy were so tired, they didn’t even care about Brian’s snoring.

The next morning, they found breakfast prepared for them in the room they celebrated in yesterday. It was a more traditional breakfast with a thin broth, smoked fish, and rice. After everyone ate, Anna gifted Arin, Suzy, and Brian with a charm containing a small piece of Koisa’s shell. They were black with white webbing marbled through them. Brian received two so he could give one to Audrey. There was no magic to them, just cut into a teardrop shape and polished to a high sheen hanging from a thin braided red rope. Koisa presented rings to Anna and Dan made from her shell and just as polished. She placed them on their right ring fingers and kissed them both, showing one on her own hand as well. 

They gave their thanks and said goodbye to the monks and headed out. The past year, Koisa had grown quite a bit more and was able to carry all five of them back down the mountain to the estate on her back in her natural form. Once home, Koisa excused herself and that left the others free to pepper Dan and Anna with questions. Brian started first. “Are you guys okay? You seem different this morning.” They stood with their hands clasped together. Dan replied, “We’re good. I’ve never felt better, more alive. I don't know how else to describe it.” Him and Anna smiled each other. “Okay, you guys are disgustingly cute now. Anna, do you think you have the energy to gate me back home?” “Caught my name, did you?” “Your secrets are safe with me. I can't deny what I saw last night and now. Dan, you’re different. But in a good way. Some of your old worry lines are gone already.” Anna grabbed Brian’s hand and led him to the nearest door. She closed her eyes and bowed her head. After a moment, she looked up and opened the door, revealing Brian’s office at home. Suzy gripped Arin’s hand tightly. Seeing a dragon was one thing, but this was the first time she showed true magic in front of them. Arin leaned over and whispered to her. “Think we can get refunds on our plane tickets?” Anna heard that and smiled at them. Brian said his goodbyes and stepped through. “See you guys when you’re home next week.” He closed the door behind him, closing the gate. Dan hugged her from behind. “You all right? The last time left you exhausted.” “Yeah, I’m all right. I’ve got it down now and I feel stronger.”

The group spent the rest of that day relaxing in the estate. She had had a game room set up when she moved in and was glad for it now. Koisa politely declined but the four of them played on her Switch all afternoon. The rest of that week, she took them around the countryside, to the less touristy areas for a true taste of old Japan. At the end of the week, when it came time for everyone to return home, Dan and Anna were both nervous. They weren't sure how it would feel to be apart but Koisa assured them that there was nothing to worry about. There were aspects of the ritual they would discover as time went on. Arin was able to get a refund on their return plane tickets since Anna promised to gate them all home. When the time came, she made a gate to Arin’s living room. Arin and Suzy stepped through, while Dan hesitated by Anna’s side. She hugged him tightly and kissed him goodbye. He backed through the door, eyes never leaving hers as he closed the door. His heart ached but not nearly as hard as the past times they parted. Arin put a hand on his shoulder. “You okay, bud?” Dan closed his eyes and searched his heart. He could swear he could feel her presence nearby, reassuring him. He slowly smiled. “Yeah, i’m okay. Can you drive me home?” “Yeah, come on.”

Later, once Dan was home alone, he washed up for the night and went to bed. He knew he should feel lonely but he wasn't. As he laid in bed, he twisted the ring on his finger as he fell asleep. The next thing he knew, he was back at Anna’s estate. It was nearly dawn and Koisa was asleep outside next to the pond. The guards patrolling paid him no mind as he went inside to find Anna. It was nice outside and a lot of the doors were open so he didn’t have to touch anything. He found her asleep on the couch in front of the tv. He went to brush some hair out of her face but as soon as he touched her, he blinked, and he was somewhere else again. He blinked and he was in a clearing, surrounded by woods with a large pond in the middle. A young woman, a teenager perhaps, was sitting reading, leaning against a tree. She had long light brown hair. She didn't hear him approach. “Anna?” She jumped up and backed away from him, eyeing him warily. He slowly approached her. “It’s me, Dan.” She stopped backing up and searched his face. “Dan...Dan!” He blinked and then standing before him was the Anna he knew. “Dan, I was dreaming...I am dreaming…I haven't really been here in years.” “Where are we?” “I used to bike here from my parents house when i wanted to be alone for a while from elementary school through high school.” She stepped up to him and clasped both his hands and he leaned down to lean his forehead to hers. The closed their eyes and just stood there for a while, content. After a few minutes, they were both startled by another voice. They turned to find Koisa standing next to them. “Found this part out already I see.”


	6. 6

Dan turned to Koisa and pulled her into a side hug and kissed her. She pulled away with a crooked smile on her face. He realized what he just did and turn to Anna. “I don’t know why I just did that.” “It’s the ritual. It’s okay. There’s been a few times I wanted to ask her join us but I didn’t know how you’d react to that. The night of the ritual answered that question. Didn’t you have a threesome once before?” “Yeah but that was years ago.” She pulled him to sit with her at the edge of the pond and Koisa joined them so Dan was sitting in the middle. Anna asked Koisa, “So what’s going on? Dan’s really in my dream.” “As long as you both want to and your sleep schedules overlap even by a little bit, you can visit the other. This is what I meant when I said it wouldn’t be so lonely in between meetings this time.” “You said you’ve done that ritual twice before. Can you tell us about them?”

“The first time was one of my first masters. He was very kind and fell in love with a mortal girl he rescued. They lived happily for about 400 years before they decided they wanted to join their ancestors. They watched generation after generation of their children and grandchildren come into and leave this world. They were tired. I severed my connection to them and they lived out the rest of their lives happily as they grew old together. The second time wasn’t so nice. My master was kind but the woman he fell for, she was a demon, and no one saw it until it was too late. After a year, she killed him, hoping to gain the position as my master. It doesn’t work that way and I killed her. That was the last time I was alive. This time I made sure the monks would receive my egg and keep it until someone specifically came looking for it. Even if some random person touched it, it wouldn’t hatch. They have to be touched by me in their dreams. Then you became known to me centuries later. You’re the first female master I’ve had. I think I made the right choice this time.” Just then, Anna and Koisa began to fade, startling Dan. “What’s happening?” “Were waking up. I’ll meet you back here tonight.” And they were gone. He spent the rest of his sleep lost in normal dreams once they were gone.

The next morning, he woke up and remembered the shared dream. He went into work that day happy and he caught Arin off guard when he walked in. “You’re awfully chipper for just leaving your girl again. You usually mope around for a couple of weeks.” They went into the recording room so they could talk in private. Half the staff knew who he’d been seeing, the other half, newer hires and interns, only knew that he was in a long distance relationship. The first half was sworn to silence. “It’s part of the ritual. If we’re asleep at the same time, we can go to the others dream. It won’t be months again before I see her. I was worried how this was going to work until we retire but now...I mean, yeah, I want to physically be with her but this is nearly as good.” “Have you talked to your parents yet?” “No… they knew something was going on at the concert but they didn’t pry. I should probably tell them.” They began their recording for the day.

Nearly every weekend, Anna gated Dan to her estate for a couple of days. This went on for several months. One Friday, late afternoon, Dan and Arin were just finishing up recording for the day when in explosive pain in Dan’s right shoulder hit. He gasped, gripping the area and fell back to lay on the couch, passing out. He vaguely heard Koisa’s voice telling him they were at a hospital nearby to him. Then he was awake again. Only a couple of seconds had passed and Arin was kneeling over him. “The fuck man, you okay? I thought you had a heart attack.” Dan sat up and pushed his friend away. “I have to get to the hospital, something happened to Anna.” He took off out the door and the office before Arin could say anything else. At his car, his hands were shaking so bad, he couldn’t unlock it. Brian happened to be pulling in to drop something off for the weekend and saw him fumbling with his keys. He explained what happened and Brian told him to get in his car, he’d drive him.

Within half an hour, they were at the hospital. Dan knew exactly where to go and Brian followed. When the reached the fourth floor, he headed to where he knew Anna was. He spotted two of her guards outside the closed door. “Let me pass, I need to see her!” They both ignored him as if they didn’t speak English. He tried bulling his way past, to no avail. At a second glance, he recognized the guard on the left. “You know who I am. Please, let me in.” “I’m sorry. I’m under orders to let no one in except her doctor.” Just then the door flew open and Koisa was there. “What is all the commotion...Dan!” When she spotted him she pulled him inside and nodded at Brian that it was okay for him to come in as well. She then turned to one of the guards, pointing at Brian. “This man and anyone with him is to be allowed in 24/7, spread the word.” Before the guard could reply, she closed the door.

They were in a private room filled with the beeping of Anna’s vitals. She was lying unconscious in a hospital bed in the center of the room, a couple of iv’s were in her arms and it looked like one of them had blood it in, while the other held a clear liquid. Her breathing was shallow and her skin somehow paler than normal. Several blankets covered her to her neck. He slowly walked over to her and found her hand under the blankets to grasp. Her skin was ice cold. “What happened?” “She wanted to surprise you tonight. We were out buying groceries near your house when someone ambushed us. He shot her with a poisoned arrow. The wound itself is already healing but the poison... They’re trying to figure out what it is yet but I already know. They got some of it out but most of it is still coursing through her system.”

Brian came up next to him and squeezed his other hand. Dan squeezed back. He whispered, “Is she going to die?” “No, but after a few days, she may wish she was dead. This poison...it affects the mind. It traps you if your worst nightmares. This can last for up to a week. It can drive people mad.” “How did this happen?” “She changes her appearance every time she travels so I believe that arrow was meant for me. I've always looked the same in human form. There are still some back home that want me to belong to them, not an American.” She clenched her fist and her eyes flashed in anger “If I find them, I will gut them. You can save her. You need to find her and bring her to your own dream. Keep her there until she wakes up. I’ll have arrangements made.” Dan immediately shrugged off his jacket and went to the nearby couch. Brian followed him, confused. “What is she talking about?” Dan ignored him and turned to Koisa. “Can you explain to him once I’m out?” She nodded and lightly kissed him. “Good luck.” He laid down and she touched his forehead. He was immediately asleep.

He found himself in a dark hallway. There was a soft crying in the distance. It took him a while to reach the room where the crying was coming from and he peeked inside before entering. Sitting in the middle of the floor was a little girl hugging her knees, face buried. She couldn’t have been more than six years old. A light shone on her from somewhere but the rest of the room was so dark, he couldn’t see the walls. He quietly approached her and kneeled next to her. “Anna?” She looked up at him, eyes red and tears streaming down her face. “Who are you?” “I’m a friend. I want to get you away from here, someplace safe. Will you come with me?” After a moment, she nodded. He scooped her up off the floor and stood, closing his eyes. He concentrated on their clearing with the pond. Over the months, they turned it into a beautiful garden with paths and decorative trees and flowers. He opened his eyes again when he smelled the fragrant warmth there. He sat down on a bench and she clung to him tightly, arms around his back and face buried in his chest. It took him a few moments to get her to sit on the bench next to him and let him go. Before she could open her eyes, he closed his and concentrated. Since this was his dream now, he pictured himself as he was when he was seven or eight.

When he opened his eyes, she was staring at him wide eyed. “How did you do that?” “Magic. Do you want to play? I think there’s some swings around here and an apple tree we can climb if you’re hungry. She wiped her eyes and nodded. Being a dream, he had no idea how much time was passing. They never seemed to tire and they stayed within the ring of trees. He could’ve sworn once that he saw Koisa’s natural eye in the brush in the tree line but he didn’t say anything. She was probably just checking up on them and he didn't draw attention to her. After what felt like weeks, they were sitting by the pond skipping stones when suddenly Anna began to fade. She was finally waking up. 

He willed himself awake and found himself tucked into his own hospital bed with an iv. Koisa was by Anna’s side and Arin was by his. A nurse nearby came over and removed his iv. He sat up and tried to talk. His mouth was dry and Arin saw him struggling. He poured him a glass of ice water and handed it to him. Finally finding his voice, “How long?” “Five days. Brian told us what was going on. Suzy knows. As far as everyone else, you have a bad case of the flu.” “Anna?” “I’m right here.” He looked over and found her sitting up. The nurse said she was going to get her doctor. Dan threw the blankets off of him and climbed out of bed. He held onto Arin for support and sat down on hers. “How are you?” “Aside from a headache, I think I’m okay. You were a cute kid by the way. What happened?” Koisa filled her in. While she talked, Dan crawled under the cover with her and laid on his side with his head resting on her shoulder. “Arin, I would kiss you for some food. I’m starving.” “I think I saw a Subway downstairs.” “Thanks man.”

As Arin left, Anna’s doctor came in and gestured to Koisa. “This woman filled me in on what she could. After a couple of phone calls, I was able to verify everything. The official record shows you came in with a concussion so you know. I’ll need a blood sample to make sure all the poison’s gone then I’ll discharge you. I’ll have some food sent in and I expect you’ll be out of here by dinner. I would rest for a couple more days, eat what you can.” Anna nodded. He took the blood sample and left. Arin was back after a few minutes with a foot long. Dan shared it with her because he knew whatever food was sent up wouldn’t be enough. She was always able to out eat him and still be hungry. The results were back quickly and it showed her blood was clean. Forms were filled and within an hour they let her go. For safety, Koisa took the form of Anna’s necklace. Arin drove them back to Dan’s place. As promised he kissed Arin on the cheek for the sub.

**Author's Note:**

> More tags will be added as needed later.


End file.
